Eighty-seven percent of residents consider amenities when signing or renewing a lease. That is, according to market research by Joe Duffus, CEO of Builders Design, and Justin Bucy, director at Housing Design Matters.
Based on market research and trends, Duffus and Bucy shared some primary areas of focus for multifamily amenities during their presentation at the 2023 International Builders’ Show. Whether it’s picking interior design elements or catering to your target demographic, here’s what their research has found.
3 important focus areas for amenities
In order to attract modern tenants, you need spaces that function for their preferred way of life.
1. Remote work
It’s not going away anytime soon. According to McKinsey data, nearly 60% of people work from home at least one day a week.
![Covid-related “isolation pods” like this were mentioned by several Amenities Survey 2021 respondents](/sites/default/files/inline-images/COVID-19%E2%80%99s%20impact%20on%20multifamily%20amenities%201%20Outdoor%20fitness%20-%20Liv%2B%20Campus%20Adv%20Hue%20-%20Enclosed%20office%20-%20Green%20St.jpeg)
Remote work amenities could be anything from workspaces to meeting rooms and “Zoom booths.” It could be as simple as having minimalist workstations in a designated co-working space, as long as the design is inviting and functional (high-speed internet is a must). No one wants to sit and look at a blank wall—they can do that at home.
With the variety of careers going fully remote, Bucy has even seen podcasting/recording studios emerge in the multifamily space.
2. Relaxation and personal wellness
Water features, gardens, and meditative spaces can help residents up their relaxation game, making them feel even more at home. Whether it’s a simple outdoor fountain that provides calming white noise, or a tucked-away library for needed quiet time, amenities that promote relaxation can help retain tenants each and every year.
On the other hand, dedicated fitness centers are also essential for resident wellness—but long gone are the days of minimal equipment in a cramped room. Depending on your target demographic, choose between free weights or weight machines (or even both) as long as you maintain adequate, clear floor space. Consider using a fitness consultant to help layout and optimize the room.
![7 tips for designing fitness studios in multifamily housing developments - cortland gateway](/sites/default/files/inline-images/7%20tips%20for%20designing%20fitness%20studios%20in%20multifamily%20housing%20developments%20-%20cortland%20gateway.jpeg)
Also, keep in mind the various ways people exercise: yoga, stretching, aerobics, etc. If possible, implement space for such alternative activities in your fitness room.
3. Outdoor spaces
Community fire pits/grills, lounging areas, hiking trails, or pools offer residents the chance to socialize day and night. With modern technology, you can implement a simple, sleek fire table that’s both easy to operate and functional in tighter spaces. And don’t sleep on rope lights—they can help define and elevate any outdoor area. Bucy emphasizes the inclusion of covered outdoor spaces as well, citing his firm’s 20% increase in the feature as of late.
Bonus amenity considerations
After nailing these focus areas, Duffus and Bucy suggest improving upon your development further.
- Community cultivation. Look for a chance to create communities with your attractive amenities. Consider your target market and let it influence your design choices. A gathering space could be designed as a bar/lounge for the younger crowd, or as a sleek kitchen-like common room for elegant types. Bucy also sees opportunities for creating community through flex room design. Give it a theme—maybe with wine or scotch lockers—to spur engagement and connectivity.
- Package/mail room. Bucy finds that for the mail room and package receptacles, you only need to provide enough parcel lockers for about 30% – 40% of units.
- Pet amenities. According to Bucy, the Covid-19 pandemic led to a record number of pet adoptions. Subsequently, dog parks and washing stations are in the highest demand. With pet spas and washing stations, he’s found the most success in keeping them away from community spaces. Group these pet rooms closer to maintenance/pool equipment areas. Your tenants—and their noses—will thank you.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
USGBC honors Brad Pitt's Make It Right New Orleans as the ‘largest and greenest single-family community in the world’
U.S. Green Building Council President, CEO and Founding Chair Rick Fedrizzi today declared that the neighborhood being built by Make It Right New Orleans, the post-Katrina housing initiative launched by actor Brad Pitt, is the “largest and greenest community of single-family homes in the world” at the annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting in New York.
| Aug 11, 2010
Trump luxury condos in Jersey City get more luxurious
Only two years after opening, Jersey City-based Trump Plaza Residences is getting a facelift. Interior designer Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz of BNOdesign has been commissioned to create a fresh design for the residential tower's entrance and outdoor pool, cabana, and lawn spaces. Renovations on the 55-story, 443-unit luxury high-rise will be completed in two phases.
| Aug 11, 2010
Apartments offer skyline view of Houston
Perched atop a hill near downtown Houston, the Gables Memorial Hills residential tower will rise to eight stories and cover 2.68 acres. With an average unit size of 965 sf, the brick and cast-stone complex will consist of 70% one-bedroom units and 30% two-bedroom units, some of which overlook downtown.
| Aug 11, 2010
Sustainable features central to independent-living building
Architecture firm Perkins Eastman, together with Saint Johns on the Lake retirement community, plans to open a 21-story, 88-unit independent-living building for seniors by mid 2011. When the $46-million project is complete, it will offer residents a streetside café, art gallery, spa and wellness center, classroom, and community performance space.
| Aug 11, 2010
Historic building to be restored in Kansas City
Construction has begun on the conversion of the historic 17-story Home Savings Association building in Kansas City, Mo. The transformed structure, to be known as Grand Boulevard Lofts, will house 134 apartment units. The $18-million project, designed by architect Rosemann & Associates, follows a revitalization of downtown Kansas City, where there is high demand for affordable housing to ser...
| Aug 11, 2010
Old factory converted from hearth to home
A former briquette factory in Cologne-Frechen, Germany, was converted into a mixed-use building by Astoc Architects & Planners, Cologne, in association with Rheinischen Amt für Denkmalpflege—the Rhenish agency for historic preservation. The roughly 172,200-sf building includes a mix of residential condominiums, lofts, and leased commercial space.
| Aug 11, 2010
And the world's tallest building is…
At more than 2,600 feet high, the Burj Dubai (right) can still lay claim to the title of world's tallest building—although like all other super-tall buildings, its exact height will have to be recalculated now that the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) announced a change to its height criteria.
| Aug 11, 2010
Luxury high-rise meets major milestone
A topping off ceremony was held in late October for 400 Fifth Avenue, a 57,000-sf high-rise that includes a 214-room luxury hotel and 190 high-end residential condominiums. Developed by Bizzi & Partners Development and designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects, the 60-story tower in midtown Manhattan sits atop a smaller-scale 10-story base, which creates a street façade t...
| Aug 11, 2010
Mixed-use Seattle high-rise earns LEED Gold
Seattle’s 2201 Westlake development became the city’s first mixed-use and high-rise residential project to earn LEED Gold. Located in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood, the newly completed 450,000-sf complex includes 300,000 sf of Class A office space, 135 luxury condominiums (known as Enso), and 25,000 sf of retail space.
| Aug 11, 2010
Triangular tower targets travelers
Chicago-based Goettsch Partners is designing a new mixed-use high-rise for the Chinese city of Dalian, located on the Yellow Sea coast. Developed by Hong Kong-based China Resources Land Limited, the tower will have almost 1.1 million sf, which includes a 377-room Grand Hyatt hotel, 84 apartments, three restaurants, banquet space, and a spa and fitness center.